Trina's Low-Sugar Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime, and Jalapeno is definitely a winner, and it's low-glycemic, gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan! Use the Recipes-by-Diet-Type Index to find more recipes like this one.

When my friend Trina started to talk about the fresh cranberry salsa she's been making every Thanksgiving for years, I was a bit skeptical until she told me the ingredients list. I'm not someone who loves all things cranberry, but the combination of fresh cranberries with cilantro, green onion, lime juice, and jalapeno had so many of my favorite flavors, it was pretty much a given that I'd like it.

As soon as I tasted Low-Sugar Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime, and Jalapeno (and loved it!) my brain started imagining ways to eat it. Of course, this cranberry salsa would be fantastic on your Thanksgiving dinner plate next to the turkey, but I'd also love it spread on a turkey sandwich, layered into a turkey casserole, dipped up with celery or pita chips, or eaten as a pan-sauce over sauteed pork or chicken. I can already tell this is one of those recipes I'll be making over and over, so thanks for sharing Trina!

I call this low-sugar cranberry salsa (and this can't ever be a sugar-free dish because there's natural sugar in the cranberries), and for my low-glycemic way of eating I'd use Stevia In the Raw Granulated (or the sweetener of your choice) to make it low in sugar. If you want to use sugar, there's only 3/4 cup so it's still not overly sweet.

I realize you need something to sweeten the cranberries, but for me it's definitely the savory flavors that make this so appealing, so please don't think of it in the same category as a sweet cranberry sauce. This is a flavor combination for cilantro lovers, but if any cilantro haters try it with something else like flat parsley, I'd love to hear how it works.

I'm adding this to my collection of Carb-Conscious Thanksgiving Recipes, and I might even try to sneak it past the cilantro-haters at my sister Sandee's, where I'm going for Thanksgiving this year!

Start with a 12 oz. bag of cranberries like the kind you see in all the stores at this time of year!

Be sure to WEAR RUBBER GLOVES when you cut the jalapenos in half and scrape out the seeds because those little seeds are no fun at all if you get them on your hands or rub your eyes. (And if anyone wants to cheat and use a few teaspoons of Green Tabasco Sauce instead of the jalapenos, I promise not to tell.)

Have the chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, and chopped jalapeno ready when you start to process the cranberries.

Chop the whole bag of cranberries in the food processor, or Trina says you can use a blender. I used my Cuisinart Food Processor. (Next time I might not chop the cranberries quite so much in the beginning.)

I chopped the cranberries first and then added the sweetener and pulsed a few more times.

Then add the chopped cilantro, chopped green onions, chopped jalapenos, lime juice, and olive oil and pulse until the other ingredients are chopped and it's well-combined.

Chill the salsa for several hours or overnight and then serve. I promise that all your guests will devour this (unless they're cilantro haters, but there's nothing I can do to help you with that!)

Trina's Low-Sugar Fresh Cranberry Salsa with Cilantro, Lime, and Jalapeno
(Makes about 2 cups of salsa; recipe from my friend Trina who got it from her friend Georgianna.)

Chop the green onions and cilantro. Then WEAR RUBBER GLOVES for chopping the jalapenos, being careful not to touch your face or eyes or let the juice squirt up. (I don't put jalapeno seeds into the disposal either, because the fumes when they are grinding can irritate your eyes. If you're worried about handling the jalapenos, I've had good luck making this with Green Tabasco Sauce.)

Put the cranberries into a food processor or blender and pulse until they are partly chopped. Add sweetener of your choice and pulse a few times more to combine. Add sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped jalapenos (or Green Tabasco Sauce), olive oil, and lime juice and pulse until all ingredients are chopped and the mixture is well combined. (If you're not sure about using 2 jalapenos, add one and taste the mixture before you add the other, but I'm kind of a lightweight on spicy things and this was just right for me.)

Put mixture into a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid and chill for several hours or overnight.

Since this recipe contains fruit, it's obviously never going to be super low in carbs, and is limited to phase 2 or 3 for the South Beach Diet. Unless you're making for a once-a-year treat on Thanksgiving, I would use Stevia In the Raw Granulated or another approved sweetener to make this if you're following South Beach or a low-carb eating plan.

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I've been waiting for this recipe -- I think even a cilantro hater like me might just have to try it. I love to introduce my family to new ways of eating cranberries, which are pretty much a requirement here in the land of Ocean Spray.

Such a quick and easy recipe!I believe it will go well with roast chicken too.A large spoonful of this,roast chicken,and perhaps,some mashed potatoes.A perfect meal!I want to try this,the moment I get my hands over cranberries(Not very easily available in India),but I am going to use parsley instead(No cilantro,hehe)!Thank you for sharing.:-)

You really do have some of the greatest ideas and this one has to be right at the top! Nordstrom's Cafe has a turkey sandwich w/cranberry sauce on this really great bread. I have been trying to figure out how I could make it healthier at home. Viola and you post this! I believe this will be my new best addition to turkey! Thank you!

Kalyn, in defense of "cilantro haters" -- some people REALLY taste cilantro differently (like soap, I've heard it described) There is a scientific basis for that "hatred." So you won't be able to sneak it past them. Better to tell them up front so they won't take some and then have it go to waste! Signed, a cilantro lover

DogLover, Yes I am very aware of that and have written about it several times on the blog. I don't think I've ever advocated trying to sneak cilantro past people; in fact I always try to offer substitutes when I can. And you're right, would not want to waste this.

I wonder how this would taste poured over cream cheese and eaten with ritz crackers. Do you think it would be tasty? Its hard to say because I haven't had it, but I'd think with cream cheese it may be pretty good as well.

I've been making cranberry salsa for years and it's a must have. My recipe calls for blanching the cranberries until the skins pop, then processing. I forgot to do that one time and didn't like it as well. We eat it by spreading cream cheese on wheat crackers and topping with the salsa. Absolutely addictive.

My husband can not stand the taste of cilantro but I worry about using anything else as a substitute. I might have to do half a batch with cilantro and the other half with parsley just to see! Thank you! :)

I fell in love with your recipe since I have a soft heart for multi purpose everything. This is a multi purpose recipe. It can be made as a dip, garnishing, spread, sauce, extender...name it! The list goes on and on. This will really be a kitchen staple in our household. Thanks for the post, Kalyn! The colors are so vibrant! Did you do that on purpose? I love the colors mixed together!

I went directly from telling you (on your updates post) how cool I thought ziplist looked to this recipe that seems like a great reason to actually sign up. I love salsa that breaks the traditional tomato barriers, whether corn or pineapple or something like cranberry which I never would have thought of. I always use my leftover cranberries to make chocolate chunk cookies, but this year I think I might have to go savory.

Oh, I am definitely going to try this for Thanksgiving! I love jalapenos and cilantro! I wonder how this would be on some kind of "fresh mex" taco? May have to try it after Thanksgiving with some leftover turkey.

I want to try this for my son's trumpet group's (30 teenagers) Thanksgiving dinner in December but since I'm having surgery that week I wanted to make it early. Is that possible? How is it left over 2-3 days? Or can I freeze it?

Laurie, it will definitely keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. (I'd make it as late as possible to minimize the time you have to keep it though.) As far as freezing, my friend Bonnie froze it and thawed, and she said it was fine but I haven't tried that myself.

This was so fantastic, I sent the link to all my sibs. It tastes great with chicken too, but I am a cranberry nut! It keeps very well too. I made it with the sugar, since there did not seem to be all that much. Thanks for the great recipe!

First I made the salsa and we ate it with turkey. Then I tried it over cream cheese and brought it to work and it was a big hit. I made another batch and added a few tbsps. of orange juice to it and poured it over my chicken thighs in the crockpot and it turned out delicious! A very versatile condiment.

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